Chapter 189

Qin Hao stood up and calmly said: "I agree to take the initiative."

"We cannot forever live under the shadow of the Mo Yun Empire; this threat must be eradicated by our own hands."

"Moreover," his gaze looked toward a farther point on the star map.

"The universe is dark; the Mo Yun Empire is merely the first enemy we have encountered, and it will certainly not be the last."

"We need an indisputable victory to announce to the remaining civilizations the existence of our human civilization, letting all potential enemies know we are not to be trifled with."

Qin Hao's words voiced everyone's heart.

After Old Luo thought for a long time, he stood up.

"Since everyone is in agreement, I will submit this proposal upward; I think the higher-ups will agree to this action."

"Our goal is no longer defense, no longer waiting!"

"But rather—expedition!"

"The target is the Mo Yun Empire's home star system!"

"We will cross a distance of 128 light-years, bringing the war to the enemy's doorstep! Completely destroy their civilization!"

The resolution was quickly passed.

The entire war machine of the Human Federal once again operated at maximum efficiency.

An unprecedentedly massive expeditionary force began to assemble.

……

One month later.

Kuiper Belt, the assembly point of the Federal's First Expeditionary Corps.

Space was like boiling water, constantly rippling with huge waves.

One after another huge warship emerged from warp travel, forming massive fleets that blotted out the sky.

Two million ships!

Exactly two million of the Federal's most elite warships gathered here.

Among them, there were forty thousand special task force vessels.

This is the most powerful mobile force the Federal can currently mobilize.

The remaining million warships stayed behind to guard the homeland, just in case.

The flagship of the Expeditionary Corps, the Divine Dragon.

This is a giant mother ship over a hundred kilometers in length, and also the crystallization of the Federal's latest technology.

On the bridge of the Divine Dragon, Qin Hao, Zhang Xianzhong, and all the senior officers of the Expeditionary Corps gathered together.

"Commander, the Expeditionary Corps' two million warships have fully assembled and can depart at any time!"

A staff officer reported.

Zhang Xianzhong nodded, his gaze turning to Qin Hao beside him.

Qin Hao, is the Supreme Commander of this expedition operation.

Although he holds no military rank, his presence is the greatest guarantee of victory.

Qin Hao looked at the silver torrent composed of countless points of light outside the porthole, his heart also filled with heroic fervor.

Twenty years have passed.

He finally awaited the day to lead humanity, actively stepping toward the universe.

"I have nothing to add."

Qin Hao turned around and said to everyone.

"The battle plan has been drilled countless times; I only have one sentence to say to everyone."

"This battle, we will surely win!"

"Surely win!"

Inside the bridge, all the officers roared in unison.

"Good!"

Zhang Xianzhong walked to the command console and took over command.

"Now, in the name of the Expeditionary Corps' Supreme Commander, I issue the order!"

"Target, the Mo Yun Empire's territory, coordinates XXX."

"Warp engine engaged! At a hundred times light speed,"

"——Full speed ahead!"

The order was given.

The two million warships assembled in the Kuiper Belt had their warp engines at the stern simultaneously blaze with an extreme blue light.

Space was violently distorted.

The next second.

This massive fleet, bearing humanity's vengeance and expedition, turned into a silver river spanning the star sea, instantly vanishing from its spot.

Before them lay a long journey of 128 light-years.

And the downfall of a vast empire.

Warp travel is boring.

Within the distorted spacetime corridor, time seemed to lose meaning.

Outside the window there were no reference points, only sheets of dazzling void.

The Expeditionary Corps' personnel spent most of their time conducting final tactical drills and simulation training in the virtual reality network.

Inside the private resting quarters of Qin Hao on the flagship Divine Dragon.

Qin Hao sat cross-legged, eyes tightly closed.

His consciousness had long since left his body, merging into the vast universe.

Twenty years had passed, and his strength had likewise undergone an earth-shaking change.

The increase in everyone's lifespan, coupled with a deep analysis of life science, gave him a deeper understanding and mastery of his own superhuman genes and psychic power.

Now he is much stronger than before.

With his psychic power fully unleashed, he can influence the motion of a planet.

But he still felt a bottleneck.

It was as if an invisible shackle limited his ascent to a higher life level.

"System, will the mother brain of the Mo Yun Empire help me?"

Qin Hao asked in his mind.

【Based on current data analysis, the Mo Yun Mother Brain is a highly developed collective consciousness lifeform, and it itself is a massive source of spiritual energy.】

【Consuming its spiritual core has a certain probability of helping the host break through the current bottleneck and grasp a hint of the laws concerning "soul" and "consciousness."】

The system's answer made a glint of sharp light flash in Qin Hao's eyes.

The laws of soul and consciousness

This is exactly what he currently needs most.

It seems this expedition is not only for humanity, but also for himself.

……

One year and three months later.

"Report, Chief Commander! We are about to reach our designated target, the border star system of the Mo Yun Empire—the Kalan Star System!"

"We are expected to drop out of warp travel in ten minutes!"

The broadcast on the bridge pulled everyone's thoughts back to reality.

"All fleets, attention! First‑battle readiness!"

Zhang Xianzhong's voice rang out over the public channel.

"All warships, begin charging the main guns! Pre‑heat the shield systems!"

"Reconnaissance fleet, advance and scout the enemy's troop deployment!"

The orders were issued, and the entire fleet's atmosphere instantly became tense and grim.

"Yes!"

Over a hundred thousand of the fastest unmanned scout ships, like a swarm breaking away from the main fleet, entered the Kalan Star System ahead of time.

Ten minutes later.

The massive expedition fleet, at a point 0.1 light‑year from the Kalan Star System, slowly dropped out of warp travel.

Two million silver‑white warships appeared in this unfamiliar starfield.

The real‑time images sent back by the reconnaissance fleet were clearly displayed on the main screen of the God Dragon.

The Kalan Star System is a binary star system with three rocky planets.

One of them has been transformed into a huge and hideous biological factory.

The entire planet's surface is covered by a writhing layer of gray‑black fungal mat.

Upon the fungal mat grow countless structures resembling gigantic tumors.

Countless conduits, like blood vessels, link these structures, transporting a green liquid.

And in orbit around the planet is stationed a sizable Mo Yun fleet.

"Enemy fleet strength confirmed, about three hundred thousand ships."

"No Emperor Bug‑class mother ships detected; the strongest vessels are King Bug‑class."

"Analyzing the planet's surface reveals large numbers of enslaved intelligent beings……"

As the reconnaissance image was magnified, everyone saw an astonishing sight.

On that transformed planet lives a kind of arthropod intelligent being resembling a mantis.

But at this moment, the gaze of every individual is empty and numb.

Their hindbrains have each been implanted with a biological controller.

They move like the walking dead, performing grueling labor day after day in those biological factories.

A slight lapse will draw a lash from the nearby Mo Yun overseer, leaving them bloody and mangled.